Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir on Friday expressed his dismay over the apprehension of civilians not involved in last week’s PTI protest, following which the capital and Rawalpindi police arrested more than 1,400 suspects.
The remarks come amid claims by the PTI that the police have been discriminating against and racially profiling Pakhtuns as well as invading citizens’ privacy by conducting mobile checks of ordinary citizens to trace party supporters.
On Nov 13, Imran issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on Nov 24, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment which he said had strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.
In the wake of the protest, human rights organisation Amnesty International demanded a transparent investigation of the state’s “deadly crackdown” to disperse PTI supporters from Islamabad’s D-Chowk, where they had gathered on Nov 26.
Numerous PTI workers were arrested in the ensuing crackdown while multiple cases were filed against the party leadership and supporters. According to the federal capital’s police chief, more than 1,400 suspects have been arrested by the Islamabad and Rawalpindi police.
Justice Tahir today took up a writ petition filed by Saeed Ahmed, brother of Sameer Ahmed, a vegetable vendor who the plea said was arrested from Islamabad’s F-10 and sent on judicial remand.
